The present invention relates to a cover opening and closing mechanism for switching a cover body between an open position and a closed position on a corresponding surface of a main body (for example, an opening or an operating panel of switches and the like).
A cover opening and closing mechanism used in a vehicle console or the like, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-129742, usually forces a cover body toward a direction of an open position by forcing means, and switches the cover body from the open position to a closed position against a force of the forcing means. The cover body stays in the closed position by locking a striker on a side of the cover body with latch means on a side of the main body in the closed position. In this case, when the cover body is divided into two parts, an idle gear or the like is interposed between the cover bodies for synchronously switching each cover body between the open position and the closed position. Also, the latch means releases the lock on the striker by pressing an operating button and enables switching of the cover body from the closed position to the open position. Hereunder, these types are called a former mechanism.
Also, FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) show a cover opening and closing mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1. The cover opening and closing mechanism synchronously switches divided two cover bodies (door bodies) 14 and 16 between an open position and a closed position, and comprises an open button 18 and a close button 20, Z-shaped arms 58 and 64, a rotating body 32, as a large gear, and an invertible-type spring 50 with one end 50A engaging a coupling groove 44 of a rotating body 32 and the other end 50B supported by a shaft 52 on a side of the main body. The open button 18 is linked to one end 58A of the arm 58 by means of a shaft 54, and the close button 20 is linked to one end 64A of the arm 64 by means of a shaft 60. Symbol 30 is a small gear on a side of the cover body 16 for engaging the rotating body 32. Symbol 38 is a small gear provided on a side surface opposite to a side where the arm 58 is disposed inside the cover body 14. The small gear 38 engages a small gear on a corresponding surface of the cover body 16 by means of an idle gear.
In the mechanism, when the open button 18 is pushed in a state that the cover bodies 14 and 16 are in the closed position as shown in FIG. 9(a), the arm 58 rotates around a shaft 66 fitted in a hole 68. A lower end front end part 58C of the arm 58 presses the linking part 50A of the spring 50, and the arm 58 moves along the coupling groove 44 of the rotating body 32 from the left side end part 44A (stable point) toward the right side end part 44B. Also, the linking part 50A of the spring 50 passes a middle point and moves toward the right side end part 44B of the coupling groove 44. Accordingly, the rotating body 32 receives a force for rotating the rotating body 32 in the counterclockwise direction as a partial force of the spring 50. Therefore, even if a hand is removed from the open button 18, the rotating body 32 rotates the cover bodies 14 and 16 toward the open direction by the force of the spring 50. On the other hand, when the close button 20 is pushed in a state such that the cover bodies 14 and 16 are in the open position as shown in FIG. 9(b), the arm 64 rotates around the shaft 66, and the lower end front end part 64C of the arm 64 moves the linking part 50A of the spring 50 along the coupling groove 44 from the right side end part 44B (stable point) toward the left side end part 44A. Also, when the linking part 50A of the spring 50 passes the middle point and moves toward the end part 44A of the coupling groove 44, the rotating body 32 receives a force for rotating the rotating body 32 in the clockwise direction as a partial force of the spring 50. Therefore, even if the hand is removed from the open button 20, the rotating body 32 rotates the covers 14 and 16 toward the closed direction by the force of the spring 50.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) 2002-362237
In the former mechanism described above, the lock of the striker on the latch means is released by a push operation of a button or the like, and the cover body is automatically switched from the closed position to the open position by the force of the forcing means. However, in this mechanism, when the cover switches from the open position to the closed position, it is necessary to move the cover body toward the closed position while pushing against the force of the forcing means with a hand, finger, or the like, thereby lacking high quality. Also, in an automobile and the like, a structure becomes complex because it is necessary to assuredly prevent an action in which the latch means releases the lock on the striker due to a load applied upon a collision and the cover body is switched to the open direction unexpectedly.
Also, in the mechanism shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), first, there is a risk that a driver or passenger pushes a wrong button as the open button and the close button are arranged next to each other. There also is a risk that the cover body is automatically switched to the open position when the button is mistakenly pushed, thereby impairing the safety. Also, it is more preferable from placement and design considerations to provide a single operating button rather than double.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problems described above with a relatively simple structure while maintaining high quality. Further, it is possible to assuredly prevent the risk that the cover body is switched to the open position unexpectedly by an impact load upon a collision accident or the like, and it is easy to improve quality and expand application.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.